If you’re looking for an activity to get your mind off things, here’s some upcoming events in and around Baton Rouge. Whether your idea of fun is horror movies, kayaking or classical music, we’ve got you covered.
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
Food Truck Fest – 14190 Airline Hwy, Gonzales
Calling all foodies. If you’re looking to grab a bite to eat or hang out all day and sample, a gathering of food trucks will be parked at Elegant Affairs on Airline Hwy in Gonzales from 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Sunday Sept. 19. Satisfy your sweet tooth with Mr. Milkshake or spice things up with Blanchard’s Cajun Cooking. With more than 15 food trucks on the lineup, there’s something for every palate.
Scotland Saturdays at 8551 Scotland Ave.
Explore all the vendors have to offer at the Scotland Saturdays market. Scotland Saturdays, founded by Byron Washington in 2018, promotes local businesses. Get up to North Baton Rouge at 8551 Scotland Ave. on Sept. 25 to socialize and shop for food, art, jewelry and more. The open market is held on the last Saturday of every month.
Saturday Stargazing at Irene W. Pennington Planetarium
You won’t have to wonder what stars are twinkling up in the sky after this event. Learn about the stars and constellations at 10 a.m. every Saturday until Oct. 30 at the Louisiana Art & Science Museum on 100 S. River Road in Downtown Baton Rouge. After gazing at the stars, make a day of it and explore the museum — it’s all included in the $12 general admission.
MUSIC
Tyler Farr at The Texas Club
You know how the story goes, “A guy walks into a bar.” And on Friday Sept. 24, country music singer Tyler Farr will walk into the Texas Club. Farr’s had several Billboard Hot 100 hits, including “Redneck Crazy,” which peaked at No. 2, and “Whiskey in My Water,” which peaked at No. 15. Doors open at 7:30 p.m. with the show starting at 9 p.m. General admission tickets are $25 and can be found here. The Texas Club is at 456 N. Donmoor Ave.
Baton Rouge Concert Band at East Baton Rouge Parish Library Main Branch
The Baton Rouge Concert Band will be playing music inspired by stories like “The Raven,” “Gulliver’s Travels” and “Sleeping Beauty” at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library’s Listening Library event on Sunday Sept. 26. The Baton Rouge Concert Band, founded in 1976, is a volunteer community band dedicated to enriching and entertaining Baton Rouge. The band will be filling the shelves with sound from 5 p.m.-6:30 p.m. at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd. The performance is free to attend with registration available on EventBrite.
THEATRE
“The Hobbit” at Theatre Baton Rouge
Plan your six (or seven) meals a day around one of the Theatre Baton Rouge’s Young Actor’s Program performances of “The Hobbit.” This one-hour play adaptation of the J.R.R. Tolkien novel follows Bilbo Baggins, Gandalf and company on their adventure to recover the lost treasure of Lonely Mountain. Be sure to order your precious tickets before they sell out. Opening night is Sept. 24, with performances running through Oct. 3 at TBR’s Studio Theatre, 7155 Florida Blvd. Student tickets are $25. More information available here.
Surviving Shakespeare at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Main Branch
To go or not to go — that is the question. The East Baton Rouge Parish Library invites Shakespeare fanatics to join Tony Medlin on Wednesday, Sept. 22 at 6 p.m. Medlin, a theatre professor at Baton Rouge Community College, will be leading a presentation on the well-known English writer and how the rhythm of Shakespeare’s language is expressed in his plays. This free event will be hosted in the large meeting room at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.
ART
Halloween Advent Calendar at Create Studios Online Workshop
Start your countdown to Halloween by making a cemetery-themed calendar with a craft kit from Create Studios, an arts and crafts space in Baton Rouge. This craft workshop will be held online Tuesday Sept. 21 from 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m. Tickets are $44 and available through EventBrite. Art kits can be shipped for an additional $7 or you can arrange a pick-up.
MOVIES
Manhattan Short Film Festival at Manship Theatre
Manhattan Short narrowed down 967 short film entries to 10. Now it’s your turn to judge. The Manhattan Short Film Festival is a week-long event where the winning films screen in over 400 cities across six continents, including right here in Baton Rouge. The 10 finalists of the 2021 Manhattan Short Film Festival will be screened at the Manship Theatre, 100 Lafayette St., on Thursday, Sept. 23 starting at 7 p.m. Each attendee will receive a ballot to vote for the best short film and actor at the end of the night. Tickets are available here.
“Tales From the Crypt Presents: Demon Knight” at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library Main Branch
The East Baton Rouge Parish Library will screen the 1995 horror comedy “Demon Knight” at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 22. The Collector, portrayed by Billy Zane, hunts down a man who possesses an ancient key that will unlock evil. This is the second event of the “FALL FRIGHTS!” horror extravaganza, continuing through November at the EBR Parish Library main branch, 7711 Goodwood Blvd.
ADVENTURE
Kayaks and Coffee at Milford Wampold Memorial Park
Hey, you want to grab a coffee — and kayak? BREC says its Kayaks & Coffee event held at 901 Stanford Ave. on Tuesday Sept. 21 from 10 a.m. until noon will start your day off with the perfect blend of adventure. The cost is $10 per person. Email [email protected] for more information.
Learn to Top Rope Belay at LSU UREC
The giant rock climbing wall in the center of the UREC may look intimidating at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Learn some climbing techniques at this UREC event on Tuesday Sept. 21 from 4 p.m.-6 p.m. No prior climbing knowledge is necessary. Free registration is open now until noon on Sept. 21 on the UREC’s site.
